Robert W. Woodruff Scholars and Fellows Program
Recipients
During her studies, Ashney Francis served on the executive boards of multiple student organizations to empower her peers and generate positive changes in campus culture. As the Director of Education and Enrichment with the Black Student Union, Ashney and her committee members developed programs to enlighten students across and beyond the African Diaspora. During this time, she also created Liberation Library, the university-wide initiative designed to donate books to incarcerated youth in Miami Dade County. Since its inception, the initiative has successfully donated over 200 books across the county. As a Student Ambassador, she upheld the institution’s values of philanthropy and scholarship by organizing community service and professional development opportunities. She was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa and after graduation, she worked as the inaugural Program Coordinator for the Division of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. In this role, she continued to serve by managing scholarship distribution for underrepresented students, co-leading the university’s week-long Juneteenth Celebrations, and more.
Before starting law school, Greear interned with Atlanta-based law firm Bayuk Pratt, LLC, supporting the attorney team on personal injury and civil rights cases. While in college, Greear was a leader of his peers, serving in executive roles within both the Black Student Movement and student government. While in student government, Greear served as Senior Advisor to UNC-Chapel Hill’s 100th Student Body President, Lamar Richards, where Greear assisted in the crafting of a trailblazing curriculum for Carolina’s marginalized underclass students. In 2022, Greear was selected as a Peacock Fellow by CFK Africa, traveling to Kenya to work with local youth in the creation and implementation of a youth empowerment curriculum. With a heart for community service, Greear co-founded political advocacy group Young Americans Protest while in high school, and recently served as both Chief of Staff and Director of Social Justice at Durham, NC-based nonprofit SIDEKICKS Academy. SIDEKICKS Academy aims to positively impact elementary school students through the combination of character education and the teaching of the martial arts. Greear is a passionate leader committed to collaboration and community and aspiring to become an attorney, striving to embody the words of American philosopher Cornel West who once said, “justice is what love looks like in public.”
Amaya Booker 25L earned a BA in political science at Hampton University. She plans to focus on civil rights and health advocacy and has spent more than 650 hours volunteering for medical, educational, and social organizations that advocate against inequity in health and justice.
Clisha D’Souza 25L earned her neuroscience and psychology degree at the University of Texas at Dallas. After graduation, she returned to Austin, where she unionized low-income renters, prevented pandemic evictions, and worked to increase the number of health insured in rural Texas. She wants to study zoning, land use, and tenant-landlord law “to strengthen tenant protections and build equitable cities in the American South.”
Madeline Muhlherr 25L holds a BA in philosophy from the University of Tulsa and minored in law, psychology, and Chinese. She’s interested in international law, and plans to study abroad, based on her two semesters doing so as an undergraduate. She’s from Houston and has worked as a legal clerk at a civil law firm there since she graduated.
Taylor Reilly 25L holds a BS in psychology from Florida State University. She double majored in English, with an emphasis on creative writing and also earned a Certificate of Developmental Disabilities. She’s an active and longtime proponent of disability advocacy and inclusion and has worked with organizations including Special Olympics and Best Buddies.
Jacob DeFazio
Emory University 2021
BA in history
Jacob DeFazio is an advocate and community leader. As a contributing writer for The Emory Wheel, he has interviewed and written profiles of notable Emory University students and alumni including Georgia state representative Jasmine Clark, philanthropist Qaadirah Abdur-Rahim, and civil war survivor Garang Buk Buk Piol. He has also served as treasurer of the Lambda Sigma Upsilon Latino Fraternity Inc, where he raised more than $1,000 for The Bail Project, a national nonprofit organization that seeks to combat mass incarceration by paying bail for people in need. DeFazio has also done extensive research and written papers on topics including imperial expansion in South America, early sixteenth- and seventeenth century debates about the nature of just and legitimate governance in early Spanish America, and the gender dynamics of the Zapatista movement for National Liberation and the roots of “El Narco” in recent Mexican history.
Adam Dixon
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 2020
BA in political science; minor in music
In addition to his interest in political science and the law, Adam Dixon is a talented musician and community leader. As president of the student-run hip-hop group UNC Cypher, Dixon spearheaded a student music showcase and led the creation of a collaborative album of original songs. Serving as an Alternative Spring Break Leader for APPLES Service Learning, he facilitated 9 weeks of civil rights discussion and created corresponding educational lesson plans. This work culminated with the coordination of a service-learning trip in Greensboro, NC which included visits to community partners, local food pantries, an HIV/AIDS center, and a local jail. Over the summers of 2018 and 2019, Dixon interned at the Fulton County Solicitor General’s Office in Atlanta, Georgia, where he assisted investigators and attorneys by organizing discovery, drafting accusations, and fulfilling investigative records requests. Dixon has also been involved with UNC Men of Color and UNC Club Table Tennis, and he was a DJ at WXYC Chapel Hill 98.3 FM.
Namrata Jacobs
Hampshire College 2017
BA with a concentration in legal anthropology, critical race, and women/gender/sexuality studies
Namrata Jacob is passionate about reproductive and social justice, and she has written, worked, and volunteered extensively in her field of interest. Jacob previously interned and now sits on the Board for Civil Liberties and Public Policy, where she helped to organize the annual conference, organized Abortion Speakout events, and presented “Reproductive Justice 101” workshops. She was also a policy intern for the National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum in Washington, DC, and a facilitator for the Planned Parenthood Generation Action Conference, both in 2015. Jacob is also a co-author of RJing Abortion: Abortion Politics through a Reproductive Justice Lens, a publication in-progress for the University of California Press. At Hampshire College, Jacob founded a student-led feminist literary arts journal titled The Lilith and received honors including a Community Engagement and Social Change Award, Student Ingenuity Award, and the Bell Ringer Scholarship. In addition, she was elected by the student body to speak at her commencement ceremony. Currently, Jacob is a teacher in Centreville, Virginia.
Madison Thibeaux
Howard University 2021
BA in political science and English
Throughout her undergraduate study, Madison Thibeaux has sought to learn about the intricacies of the political sphere and literature in order to pursue her interest in the law. As a leader in the College of Arts and Sciences Student Council, she spearheaded the formation of a new coalition and a new Student Input Program to ensure organization of voices in the student body. She also competes as a member of the Mock Trial Team and is a member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, where she strives to help alleviate problems concerning girls and women. Thibeaux co-founded a mentorship program aimed at aiding minority students in their educational journey and volunteered for organizations including the Capital Area Food Bank and the Reading All-Stars program. Thibeaux has also gained experience as an intern at Royal Title & Escrow in Lafayette, Louisiana, where she assisted in more than 110 real estate closings.
Rachel Kennedy
Vanderbilt University 2017
BA cum laude in Spanish and human and organizational development
Rachel Kennedy is dedicated to public interest work. After graduating from Vanderbilt, Kennedy worked for International Justice Mission as a government and community relations intern in La Paz, Bolivia. Kennedy coordinated trauma-informed care trainings for judges, police, and prosecutors, facilitated monthly pilot court trainings on case management, and collaborated in publishing “A Performance Study of the Bolivian Public Justice System.” After Bolivia, Kennedy spent two years as a management consultant in Dallas, Texas, where she also volunteered as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) and initiated and led various pro bono projects. At Emory, Kennedy is on the executive board of the Emory Public Interest Committee (EPIC), a member of the IRAP policy team, a volunteer with the Emory Immigrant Legal Assistance Clinic, and a legal advocate for the Partnership Against Domestic Violence. This summer, Kennedy will work as a legal fellow at the Human Trafficking Legal Center in Washington DC.
Lucy Lansing
Furman University 2018
BA magna cum laude in English and politics & international affairs
Lucy Lansing is from Rome, Georgia. In college, she studied away or abroad five times, working as the teaching assistant for the Furman Latin America program. A recipient of the James B. Duke Merit Scholarship, she was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa and Omicron Delta Kappa. After college, Lansing taught sixth- and seventh-grade ELA with Teach for America at Ranson IB Middle School and advocated education policy with the Beginning Teacher Leadership Network. Coaching the school soccer team was one of her all-time favorite activities. At Emory, she is the president of StreetLaw and the policy director of the International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP). She loves running slowly, reading, and tutoring private students when not studying the law.
Emily Spears
Emory University 2017
BA in political science and religion
Emily Spears was a Trial Unit paralegal for the Federal Defender Program, Inc. in Atlanta, Georgia, where she collected and summarized relevant information for trial preparation. She was also an intern for the same organization. Spears was inducted into the Alpha Episilon Academic Honors Society at Emory, and she received the Emory Achievement Award Scholarship, the Emory Opportunity Award Scholarship, and the Paul B. Courtright Prize for Overall Excellence among Majors in the Religion Department. At Emory Law, Spears is involved with EPIC, where she will be chairing next year's EPIC conference with fellow Woodruff Scholar Rachel Kennedy. She has also served as a 1L Rep and as the incoming treasurer for Emory's American Constitution Society, is an active member of the Cooper Inn of Court, and volunteers with several organizations. Spears is pursuing a career in public interest.
Eric Wang
Princeton University 2018
BA summa cum laude in public and international affairs; (anticipated) MA in theological studies
Eric Wang is a JD/MTS candidate at Emory University's School of Law and Candler School of Theology. He did his undergrad at Princeton University, where he graduated summa cum laude in public and international affairs and launched Princeton's inaugural US-China Global Governance Forum. Following college, Wang worked in campus ministry at Princeton, and continued mentoring Chinese students overseas as part of his leadership training initiative, Promising Global Youth Leaders. In 2019, Wang began a dual degree in law and theological studies at Emory, where he has since worked with Professor John Witte to research and write on Christian social thought and legal-political philosophy. Fascinated by Christian ethics, Atlanta's civil rights history, and contemporary Chinese affairs, Wang currently leads the Charity and Justice Working Group and the Sino-American Interdisciplinary Legal Society (SAILS), two groups he newly organized with others at Emory Law and Candler this past academic year. This summer, Wang will be interning at the US Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.
Nicholas (Nick) Barker
Georgia Institute of Technology 2015
BS in international affairs
Nick Barker graduated with highest honors from the Georgia Institute of Technology, where he earned a bachelor’s in international affairs. Barker studied Arabic in Jordan until he returned to Atlanta, where he served for several years as a refugee resettlement case manager at Lutheran Services of Georgia. During his 1L summer, Barker learned about litigation and healthcare law as a summer associate at Baker & Hostetler, where he will return for 2L summer. Currently in his second year at Emory Law, Barker enjoys his classes and serves as the Project Manager for Emory’s chapter of the International Refugee Assistance Project. In his free time, Barker enjoys listening to NPR podcasts, taking walks around Emory’s campus, and spending quality time with his family and friends in Atlanta.
Shannon Mitchell
University of Texas at Austin 2019
BA in international relations and global studies
Shannon Mitchell is passionate about the study of political and humanitarian issues in the Middle East, especially the refugee crisis. She has an advanced proficiency in Arabic. At UT, she participated in the Arabic Flagship program sponsored by the Department of the Defense to achieve fluency in Arabic. She also attended an intensive Arabic language program at the Modern Arabic Language International Center in Jordan. Beyond the classroom, Mitchell participated in a refugee mentorship program, where she tutored refugee children from Arabic-speaking countries. She previously worked as a research intern at Clark Center for Australian and New Zealand Students. During law school, Mitchell has worked as a summer legal intern for the Appellate Division of the Georgia Public Defender Council.
Daniel Zozaya Brown
The George Washington University 2011
BA in political science
University of Missouri 2017
MA in public affairs
Daniel Zozaya Brown is originally from Merida, Yucatan, Mexico, and is interested in addressing environmental, social, and governance issues in corporate law. Before law school, Zozaya Brown completed his BA from the George Washington University. After graduating, he joined the Peace Corps and served in Ecuador assisting in the implementation of new educational policies. Zozaya Brown holds a master's degree in public affairs from the University of Missouri and has worked as a Peace Corps recruiter, government translator, and community and economic development specialist at the nonprofit Global Communities. In law school, Zozaya Brown works as a graduate community theme fellow and is a member of the Emory ABA Moot Court Team, LALSA, and the Corporate and Business Law Society. Zozaya Brown also has a passion for volunteering and does so frequently with organizations like Emory's Immigrant Legal Assistance Clinic, Habitat for Humanity, SCORE, and the Boys and Girls Club. This summer, he will be working at the Jones Day office in Dallas, TX where he hopes to further develop his knowledge of corporate and business law.
Matthew Belitsos
Western Michigan University 2016
BS summa cum laude in student integrated curriculum with concentrations in computer science, mathematics, and English
Matthew Belitsos is a passionate community advocate. He co-founded the Asheville Small Home Advocacy Committee, where he collaborated with business leaders, concerned citizens, and government agencies to increase the availability of affordable housing. Previously, Belitsos specialized in the technology industry, managing engineering solutions at Internet Security Systems and overseeing security services infrastructure at IBM Corporation, where he directed a team of senior engineers supporting a division with more than $400 million in annual revenue. At Emory, Belitsos built upon his previous experiences by working at Legal Aid organizations in Atlanta and Asheville and participating in the Turner Environmental Law Clinic. He is a lifelong musician who is proficient in percussion and guitar performance.
Margaret (Maggie) Clark
University of Georgia 2018
BA in international affairs and ecology with highest honors
Maggie Clark is a dedicated advocate and environmentalist. During her time in the honors program at UGA, she conducted extensive ecological and international affairs research on climate change's disproportionate impacts on marginalized communities. A member of Phi Beta Kappa, she graduated with the Presidential Award of Excellence. Now in law school, she pursues a career in environmental law, completing two internships with the Environmental Protection Agency, including the Honors Law Program with the Office of General Counsel. When she isn't researching and advocating for environmental issues, Clark serves as the Student Bar Association President, bridging communication between students and the law school administration.
Laura Flint
Emory University 2016
BA summa cum laude in political science with a minor in economics
After graduating Emory University summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa, Laura Flint returned home to the Washington, DC, area and worked for the Federalist Society for two years. As assistant director and then deputy director, she helped to coordinate the programming activities of the society’s fifteen practice groups. At Emory Law, Flint is the vice-president of the Emory Federalist Society and a notes & comments editor on the Emory Law Journal. She will be clerking for Judge Branch on the Eleventh Circuit after graduation. After her clerkship, she will be joining the Atlanta litigation division of Holland & Knight.
Suman Malempati
Duke University 1990
BA cum laude in history
Washington University School of Medicine 1996, MD
Suman Malempati came to Emory Law School to pursue a career in civil rights law. Prior to law school, he was an accomplished physician, medical researcher, and educator. Malempati was associate professor of pediatrics at Oregon Health & Science University in the Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, where he served on several institutional, regional, and national committees and published more than thirty peer-reviewed articles and book chapters. At Emory, Malempati’s interest in civil rights and social justice has flourished. He has been an active member of many Emory Law student organizations, including the Emory Public Interest Committee and the Emory Law School Supreme Court Advocacy Program, and he is Executive Online Editor of the Emory Law Journal. He received the 2021 Mark and Rebekah Wasserman Public Service Award. After graduation, Malempati will serve as a term judicial clerk for the Honorable Marco A. Hernandez, U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon.
Frederick “Eric” Johnson
University of Georgia 2012
BA magna cum laude in political science; MPA in public affairs, services & administration
Captain Frederick Johnson of the US Air Force (USAF) was commissioned in 2012 and completed USAF intelligence officer training, followed by assignment in the United Kingdom as flight commander and executive officer for the 488th Intelligence Squadron. As an aircrew instructor and evaluator, he executed missions supporting four named military operations and was awarded the Air Medal, three Aerial Achievement Medals, and the Air Force Commendation Medal for his service. Additionally, he was named Squadron Company Grade Officer (CGO) of the Year (2015) and Officer Instructor of the Year (2016). Prior to his distinguished military service, Johnson graduated magna cum laude from the University of Georgia with a BA in political science and an MPA in public affairs, services & administration. His goal is to complete his legal education at Emory Law and return to his military service as an attorney in the Air Force Judge Advocate General’s Corps.
Samin Mossavi
Furman University 2017
BA in politics and international affairs
Samin Mossavi, an Iranian American, was young when her family immigrated to the United States from Sweden. Post-9/11, she found that her diverse background provided a foundation to help her dispel stereotypes, speak out against social injustices, and ultimately find her calling into the law. Her areas of interest include corporate and securities law, immigration law, sports and entertainment law, torts and product liability, and trial advocacy and litigation. She expects to graduate from Furman University in May, with a BA in politics and international affairs and plans to continue her legal education at Emory Law. While at Furman, she completed internships at the Greenville County Bond Court in Greenville, South Carolina, at Jones Day in Atlanta, Georgia, and at McGuireWoods Consulting in Richmond, Virginia. She is vice president of the Panhellenic Executive Council, Mock Trial captain, and treasurer of the Pre-Law Society.
Cory Mull
Vanderbilt University 2007
BOE summa cum laude in mechanical engineering, minor in management of technology
In 2007, Cory Mull, a Marietta, Georgia native, graduated summa cum laude with a BOE in mechanical engineering from Vanderbilt University. As an undergraduate, he received the Mechanical Engineering Program Award, was inducted into the Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honor Society and served as the Sigma Alpha Epsilon Scholarship chair. After graduation, he began an eight-year career with Chevron Corporation, starting as a subsea pipeline engineer, then rising through the ranks to site lead, managing a team of over 20 people across four worksites on the Congo River Crossing Recovery Project. In search of more stability, Mull became a registered patent agent in 2015 and took a position with Taylor English Duma LLP in Atlanta, Georgia, in early 2016. He is excited to be accepted to Emory University School of Law and intends to combine his technical experience and expertise with an education in law to better serve his clients.
Linden Wait
University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill 2014
BA with highest distinction in political science and global studies, minor in Arabic language
Linden Wait grew up in a rural community in the Appalachian mountains of North Carolina. As she got older, she saw the discrimination and intolerance many experienced and decided to pursue a career in human rights law. Her journey began with a double major in political science and global studies at the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill. As an undergraduate, Wait formed an educational partnership with a women’s economic development organization in Amman, Jordan, studied abroad in Singapore and India, and served as a research assistant for the UNC Political Science Department. After graduating, she received a Fulbright Scholarship to teach English at an Islamic Senior High School in Indonesia. Wait currently works as a program associate for the International Association of Women Judges in Washington DC, and she is looking forward to continuing her education at Emory Law.
Diana C. Benton
Webster University 2012
MA in business and organizational security management
Stanford University 2007
BA in international relations
Diana C. Benton earned a bachelor’s degree in international relations and a master’s degree in business and organizational security management. She received specialized training in equal opportunity leadership, domestic violence intervention, and sexual assault victim advocacy during her eight years as an active-duty US Army officer. Between 2013 and 2015, she was a logistics and HR officer for the criminal division of the military police, where she orchestrated and resourced all logistics and human resources requirements for employees dispersed across two different countries during dynamic wartime operations. She served in Afghanistan and Germany as well as numerous locations across the United States.
Caroline Ross Herion
University of Michigan School of Public Health 2015
MPH in health management and policy
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 2009
BA in journalism and mass communication and international studies
Caroline Ross Herion is a 2009 graduate of University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a 2015 graduate of the University of Michigan School of Public Health. At UNC, Herion was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa and Kappa Tau Alpha honor societies. At U of M, she was an S. J. Axelrod-Eugene Feingold Scholar. Herion is currently an administrative fellow to the CEO of Emory Healthcare Network. Previously, she was a research assistant for the U of M School of Public Health where she drafted a white paper on university rankings in collaboration with Professors Sridhar Kota and Andrew Maynard for eventual publication and presentation to industry stakeholders. She is a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives, the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, Michigan Healthcare Executive Student Association, the Health Policy Student Association and Women in Health Leadership.
Tyler Yeargain
University of Central Florida 2016
BA in political science (pre-law)
Tyler Yeargain is currently pursuing a bachelor's degree in political science at the University of Central Florida, where he is a member of the Burnett Honors College and serves as a teaching assistant. As a UCF student, he served as the Legislative Affairs Coordinator in student government, lobbying the state legislature on the university's legislative priorities. In this capacity, he helped write and pass Chloe's Law in response to the death of UCF student Chloe Arenas. Yeargain has conducted research in the field of political science, publishing an undergraduate thesis on Florida voting trends, analyzing dual citizenship patterns in Eastern Europe, and working with Dr. Barry Edwards to co-author a textbook chapter and an article in the Albany Law Review. He interned for United States Senator Bill Nelson, working with caseworkers on constituent services, and served as the Deputy Regional Director for Voter Expansion for Charlie Crist's 2014 gubernatorial campaign, in which he took reports from poll-watchers and assisted the campaign with litigation decisions.
Alexandra Cochrane
University of Florida 2015
BA in criminology and law; BS in psychology
Alexandra Cochrane is an assistant director for Student Legal Services and member of Emory’s Public Interest Committee, Criminal Law Society and Supreme Court Advocacy Program. Cochrane graduated cum laude from the University of Florida with a degree in psychology and criminology and law and was named a Carol B. Currier Scholar. Cochrane has accrued extensive legal experience during her undergrad, serving as an intern for the public defender’s office, a research assistant for UF’s Psychology and Law Laboratory, and an intern for the state attorney’s office. She researched topics such as jury decision making, eye witness identifications and plea bargaining. As a mentor for the Gator Teens program, Cochrane has helped mentor at-risk youth weekly and coached high school students on setting important life goals. Her hometown is Wellington, Florida.
Lucy Gauthier
University of Oklahoma 2015
BA in letters, concentration in constitutional studies
Lucy Gauthier graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a BA in letters, with a concentration in constitutional studies and a minor in psychology. Gauthier was involved in Oklahoma’s Honors College, where she was also a member of the Phi Beta Kappa honor society, was the Letzeiser Award silver medalist, received the OU Award of Excellence, and appeared on President’s Honor Roll all four years. As an undergrad, Gauthier served in many leadership positions, including scholarship chair of the Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Society, vice president of her sorority, leadership scholar of the College of Arts and Sciences, and webmaster of the “Big Event,” a statewide community service event. Gauthier’s passion for horses led her to ride for OU’s Equestrian team. For summer 2016, Gauthier will be working in the SEC Honors Program, Division of Enforcement, in Washington, D.C.
Fiona O'Carroll
University of St. Andrews 2015
MLitt in modern history
Emory University 2014
BA summa cum laude in history, English, and French
Fiona O’Carroll graduated summa cum laude from Emory University with bachelor’s degrees in history, English and French. Fiona pursued a master’s degree in history at the University of St Andrews as a Bobby Jones Scholar. Currently in her first year at Emory Law School, Fiona enjoys her classes and works as a research assistant for Professor Abdullahi An-Na’im on topics such as the human rights paradigm and the international death penalty debate. Fiona volunteers with the Emory Public Interest Committee, provides research support for the Campaign to Keep Guns Off Campus, represents her class on the Student Library Advisory Council, serves as treasurer of the Emory chapter of the International Refugee Assistance Project, and is a member of the Public Interest Dinner Series. Fiona is exploring various legal practice areas, but has a particular interest in immigration issues and environmental law. In her free time, Fiona enjoys cooking, running, and yoga. Fiona hopes to complete her yoga teacher certification this year.
Mathew Plott
University of Tennessee Chattanooga 2015
BS in political science
A lifelong resident of Appalachia, Mathew Plott graduated summa cum laude from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga with a degree in political science and a minor in history. Plott has worked on campaigns at every level of government. He volunteered on Chris Anderson’s campaign for Chattanooga City Council, Gloria Johnson’s campaign for Tennessee State House, and Lenda Sherrell’s campaign for Congress. In 2014, Plott managed Gwen Tidwell’s campaign for Criminal Court Clerk in Hamilton County and Patricia Fountain’s campaign for Collegedale Commission. He has taken on a number of leadership roles within Democratic politics. He previously served as president of College Democrats of Tennessee and national committeeman of Tennessee Young Democrats. Plott currently serves as national membership director of Young Democrats of America.
Nicole Schladt
University of Cambridge 2015
MPhil in international relations and politics
University of Kentucky 2014
BA in international studies and gender and women's studies; minors in mathematics and Spanish
Jin Hyung "Jin" Lee
Brown University 2014
BA in environmental studies
Jin looks forward to being an environmental lawyer upon graduation. She spent her 1L summer as a legal intern at EPA Environmental Appeals Board in Washington, DC. At Emory, she is secretary of the Environmental Law and Conservation Society, and is the executive online editor for the Emory Law Journal. She is currently externing at EPA Region 4, here in Atlanta, and will spend this summer at Latham & Watkins in its Washington, DC. Before law school, Jin spent her undergraduate summers as an intern for various environmental organizations: the National Park Service, the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, and The Ocean Project. At Brown University, she concentrated in environmental studies, played ultimate frisbee, and studied abroad in Stockholm. She continues to play ultimate frisbee in Atlanta, enjoys doing crosswords with breakfast, and DJs for WMRE radio station at Emory. Her hometown is Austin, TX.
Blake Meadows
Patrick Henry College 2014
BA in American politics and policy
Blake Meadows is a student attorney with the Turner Environmental Law Clinic. He is also a member of the Emory Moot Court Society and competes for the Jessup International Law team. In addition to these responsibilities, Meadows is also a member of the Emory Corporate Governance and Accountability Review where he recently published a work dealing with the EPA’s redefinition of “Waters of the United States.” Meadows is also a member of the Christian Legal Society and the Federalist Society. This past summer he split his time between the North Carolina Supreme Court where he interned for Justice Newby and the solicitor general’s office here in Atlanta. Outside of law school, he is an open water certified scuba diver and a paleontology enthusiast, having led four excavations in Colorado, one of which uncovered the fourth known Allosaurus skull worldwide. He is originally from North Carolina.
Philip Olsen
Florida Atlantic University 2014
BA in English and philosophy
Since matriculating at Emory Law, Philip Olsen has worked in criminal defense with Arora & LaScala, LLC and with the Georgia Public Defender Council’s Appellate Division. Olsen joined the Emory Law Journal in 2015, and in 2016 was elevated to its editorial board. His student comment for the journal advocated expanding government contractor immunity. In 2015, Emory’s legal writing program named him an outstanding orator. Olsen graduated from the Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College summa cum laude in 2014 with a bachelor’s degree in English and philosophy. While an undergraduate, he was a Henry Morrison Flagler Scholar and a Dr. Floyd F. Kochs Honors Ethics Scholar. One of his honors theses, on French political philosophy, won his school’s most prestigious writing award. Before coming to law school, Olsen worked as a policy intern for the American Podiatric Medical Association and was president of Florida Atlantic University’s debate team.
William Eye
Emory University
BA in philosophy and music
University of St. Andrews
MLitt in international political theory
Will Eye is executive notes and comments editor of the Emory Law Journal, a Dean’s Teaching Fellow, and lead violinist for the Emory Tango Ensemble. His journal comment was published in the Emory Law Journal, republished in ABA Journal of Affordable Housing & Community Development, and won the nationally competitive ABA Law Student Writing Competition. Before law school, Will studied at University of St. Andrews as a Bobby Jones Scholar, where he was principal violinist for the University Symphony and a varsity rower. An alumnus of Emory College, he was a violinist for the Emory Symphony and a varsity rower. Previously, Will performed benefit concerts in Russia, Japan, and South Korea with Music Without Borders. Upon graduation, Will is joining Jones Day (Atlanta) and, in 2017, will serve as law clerk to Chief Judge Carnes of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. His hometown is Baldwin, NY.
Jennifer "Jeni" Lamb
Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University
BS in agricultural and applied economics, BA in political science
2011 MS in agricultural and applied economics
Jeni is dedicated to becoming an effective environmental and food advocate. Currently, she is externing in Denver for the Honorable Judge John L. Kane for the District of Colorado and will join Holland & Hart as an associate in their environmental group after graduation. At Emory, she served as executive articles Editor of the Emory Law Journal, president of the Environmental Law and Conservation Society, student attorney in the Turner Environmental Law Clinic, and summer clerk with the EPA. Prior to law school, Jeni worked in sustainable agriculture in Appalachia, Kenya, Uganda, and Lesotho. She also interned with the agriculture committees for the US Senate and House of Representatives. She has published in law reviews and peer reviewed journals. Jeni is a Harry S. Truman Scholar and was named Virginia Tech’s Undergraduate Woman of the Year in 2010. Jeni enjoys riding horses and spending time outdoors with her fiancé, Chris.
Becky Lowe
University of Georgia
BA in political science; minor in sociology
Becky Lowe is originally from Tampa, Florida. She has served as an intern for U.S. Senator Bill Nelson and Congressman Allen Boyd, where she assisted the Constituent Services Representative for Military and Veterans Affairs. She was also the Director of Student Life for the UGA Student Government Association and the SPIA Ambassador for the UGA Student Advisory Board. Lowe served as associate editor for Georgia Political Review, Public Relations Chair for her sorority, and as a volunteer for UGA Heroes and Relay for Life. At Emory, Lowe serves as the president for the Legal Association for Women Students and externs for the American Cancer Society, Office of Corporate Counsel. She received an EPIC grant last summer to work at the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of the Solicitor.
Alyssa Pardo
George Washington University
BA in international affairs and economics
Alyssa is excited to be joining the Atlanta office of Arnall Golden Gregory LLP after graduation. At Emory, she serves as a notes and comments editor for Emory Law Journal and participated in the Emory Summer Child Advocacy Program. Originally from East Longmeadow, Massachusetts, Alyssa graduated from the George Washington University in 2009, majoring in international affairs and minoring in economics. While at GW, Alyssa was president of the Amnesty International Chapter, a Model UN delegate, and a Professional Foreign Service Sorority member. She has interned at the State Department’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, the US House Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Peace Corps Headquarters, and the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. Before law school, Alyssa served as a program assistant for Stability Operations at the US Department of State’s Foreign Service Institute. In 2010, she completed the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington, DC.
Vanessa Lopez 15L
University of Miami
MA in international administration; BA in political science and international studies
Doug Stephens 15L
University of Colorado
BA in international affairs
Sabrina Wilson 15L
Murray State University
BS in physics
Zachary Eyster 14L
Messiah College
BA in religious studies
Currently: Associate at Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP in Atlanta
Sarah O'Donahue 14L
Vanderbilt University
BS in political science and classical studies
Currently: Associate at Alston & Bird LLP in Atlanta
Laura Rivera 14L
New York University
MA in journalism and Latin American studies
Emory University
BA in political science and spanish literature
Currently: Staff Attorney, Georgia Legal Services Program, Farmworker Rights Division
JoAnna Smith 14L
American University
BA in law and society; certificate in women, politics, and political leadership
Drew Stevens 14L
Baylor University
BA in sociology, minor in political science
Currently: Associate at Arnall Golden Gregory LPP in Atlanta
Steve Ferketic 13L
University of Connecticut
BS in biology and political science
Currently: Associate at Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP in New York
Donalee Donaldson 12L
Seton Hall University
BA in English honors, social & behavioral sciences
Currently: Admissions Coordinator and Teaching Fellow at Kepler Kigali in Rwanda
Laura Huffman 08L
Georgia Institute of Technology
BS in electrical engineering
Currently: Senior Associate, King & Spalding LLP in Atlanta
Sara Walden Brown
02L Mercer University
BA in French, English, philosophy
Currently: Associate at King & Spalding LLP in New York
Tony Balloon 02L
University of Florida, Fisher School of Accounting
BS in accounting with a minor in economics
Currently: Associate at McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP in Atlanta